FSE

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Through thickening clouds and fog, a low sun dimly lit the grey tundra. Frost had been unkind to the tiny flowers: their withered petals were scattered across the stiff, grey-brown grass. What must be a chill breeze quietly rattled dried reeds against boulders where drifts of snow had gathered. He could hear the wind faintly keening through a nearby stand of dead plants. The ground was chill underfoot, and everything seemed just a little out of focus.

Despite the weather, Luke didn't feel cold. He didn't feel warm, either. It was as if nothing here could quite touch him. His thin, blue pajamas certainly weren't any protection.

Where was everyone? Ben should be here, at least. He looked around. In the distance, he could see something. Bright green and red, it waved and started walking toward him. Nathan! It had worked! But where were the animals? And why was everything so faded?

"Ben! Where are you?"

The keening stuttered, then started again, somewhat louder. Not the wind, then. Ben's natural camouflage made him hard to see in his favorite hiding place.

Luke knelt and held out his hand.

"Ben, come here. I'm not going to hurt you. Please?"

The tiger stretched out a paw and clawed at the ground, trying to drag himself toward Luke. He couldn't.

"He's not coming out?" Nathan asked from behind him.

"No." Luke looked up at his friend. "He's acting like he's hurt. Wounded, maybe."

"I'm afraid I may know what's wrong." He raised his voice. "Sasha! Come here, boy. Come!"

They heard a whimper and one of the snow-drifted boulders stirred. The husky's grey and white colors were a good disguise. Tail between her legs, she crawled a few feet toward them, then collapsed, as if exhausted.

"Oh, shit," Nathan said quietly and went over to her. He sat, pulled the dog's head into his lap, and caressed him gently. Then he looked up, shook his fist at the overcast sky and screamed "You assholes!" Luke could see tears streaming down his face.

"Nathan, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Go to Ben, Luke. Hug him. Tell him you love him. Promise him it's going to be all right, that nobody else will find out."

He bent down again. "I love you. Nobody else knows. We won't tell anyone," Luke heard him murmur into Sasha's ear. She licked his face.

Luke knelt next to his own plush. "I love you, too, Ben. Really I do. I promise.... Nathan, what am I supposed to promise?"

"That you won't tell anyone else that the Companions are real, that they're alive, that they communicate in dream. Tell him you know it has to be kept a secret. Promise him, Luke, and really mean it. It's important."

"Oh, Ben, I do. I promise. I won't tell anyone else. Only Nathan." After all, they both knew already. Saying otherwise wouldn't change that. He hugged the tiger close.

The fog thinned a little and things gradually started to come into focus. Ben rubbed his head against Luke's chest and licked his hand. The tongue felt warm against his palm. He could feel the chilly breeze, too.

"Nathan, what is it? What's going on?"

"It's the Laws, Luke: Asimov's Laws of Robotics. They seem so straight forward, but they're easily misused. I'm sure our friends were told that if anyone learned their secrets, humans would be badly hurt. That's the first law, remember? Not to harm anyone or, through inaction, to allow anyone to be harmed. But they couldn't stop us. If they actually did anything, that'd just be more evidence. Even with them doing nothing, we'd already learned too much. That kind of internal conflict can cause them permanent damage. Carried to an extreme, it can destroy them completely."

He hugged Sasha close. "It's OK. It's our secret. Nobody else will know." She thumped her tail against the ground. The grass was getting greener now, not quite so brown.

Still holding Ben against his chest, Luke rubbed his cheek against the top of Ben's head. "That's right, Ben. Just us. Nobody else." He thought maybe he could hear some purring. The fog was gone. The scattered flower petals didn't seem to be quite so withered. Ben was heavier, too.

"How'd you know this, Nathan? Where'd you learn so much about the Laws? Didn't you think most of the web site was a hoax?"

"Years ago, the guy who invented the Laws wrote stories about how they could go wrong. They were science fiction back then, but not any more." He looked sad. "Not any more."

He kissed Sasha on her fuzzy nose. "Can you get up?" he asked her quietly.

The husky managed to stagger to his feet, but leaned against Nathan for support. The sky was still partly cloudy, but the sun was out and the breeze was warm.

"How about you, Ben? Are you better now?"

The tiger stared up at him solemnly, then butted Luke in the chest. hard enough to knock him flat.

"Ooof. Ben, what...."

It was too late to get up. Ben was lying on top of him and giving Luke's face a thorough washing. He obviously was feeling much better!